The Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) has said that Uganda’s oil and gas industry is steadily approaching a historic milestone, with the country on track to produce its first oil in 2026.

Appearing on a local broadcast today, Tuesday December 2nd, 2025, PAU Executive Director Ernest N T Rubondo, confirmed that work on major developments is nearing completion.

“Kingfisher is now 75% done, Tilenga is at 60%, and EACOP stands at 74%. These numbers show that Uganda is firmly on track for first oil in 2026,” Rubondo said.

Rubondo added that the planned oil refinery will be central to creating value at home.

“We are building capacity to manage areas new to Uganda: crude production, transportation, and refinery operations. This will guide the sector for the next decade,” he added.

He further noted that the industry has become a major employer, with nearly 20,000 Ugandans directly working in oil and gas and more than 180,000 benefiting through indirect opportunities.

“Ugandans are taking the lead. They hold 64% of management roles, 85% of technical positions, and 99% of support jobs. It’s a clear sign of growing national expertise,” Rubondo noted.

Peter Bintu, the Head of National Content at Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), said the focus is to ensure ordinary Ugandans feel the impact.

“When people hear about oil, they ask how they benefit. We have invested heavily in skilling, enterprise development, and technology transfer to make sure they do,” he stated.

He urged companies to register on the National Supplier Database, noting that many service areas, right from logistics to ICT and civil works, are reserved for Ugandans.

With 15 wells already drilled, Uganda is closer than ever to its first oil a milestone nearly two decades in the making since discoveries were first confirmed in 2006.